Rockford Park District employee Taylor Hennelly operates a Bobcat equipped with a snowblower Monday, Jan. 27, 2014, along the Rock River Recreation Path in Rockford, Ill. A second deep freeze in weeks locked the Midwest in its icy grip Monday, bringing with it wind chills ranging from the negative teens to 40s.

ATLANTA — Across the South, residents stocked up on fuel and groceries, schools and offices closed, and road crews were at the ready as a storm moved in Tuesday from the central U.S., threatening to bring snow, ice and subzero temperatures to a region more accustomed to air conditioners and sunscreen than parkas and shovels.

Even with the timing and severity of the blast of freezing precipitation uncertain, officials from parts of Texas to southeast Virginia warned motorists to stay off the roads and remain inside.

Popular warm-weather tourist destinations including Charleston, S.C.; Savannah, Ga.; Pensacola, Fla.; Virginia Beach, Va.; and New Orleans were expecting ice and snow over the next two days — rare occurrences in places that seldom even see prolonged sub-freezing temperatures.